Physical, chemical and sensory evaluation of meat from cobia (rachycentron canadum), desensitized with different voltages of electric shock, stored under refrigeration

ABSTRACT: Fish quality is conditioned by several factors, among them desensitization methods applied for fish managing and slaughtering. This research used electric shock at different intensities as a desensitization method for cobia (Rachycentron canadum) slaughtering and evaluated its effects over fish quality during refrigerated storage. The experiment was carried out by numbing the fish with electroshock at the intensities of 100, 150 and 200 Volts, and keeping them in refrigerated storage for 21 days. On the cobia, obtained from a commercial fish farm the following physical, chemical and sensorial characteristics as quality variables were evaluated: dielectric properties, rigor index, pH, texture, color, sensorial evaluation of freshness, ATP and degradation catabolites. The experimental design was a 6×3 factorial (6 times of analysis and 3 electroshock intensities). Significant differences (P